The field of this invention relates to automotive electrical boxes and harness connectors having electrical connector position assurance mechanisms.
Electrical systems in automobiles have become modular in recent years. The wires from various components become harnessed together into a harness connector that is plugged into a header of an electrical box. These electrical components range from optional accessories such as auxiliary power outlets to important microprocessors that control air bag actuation or control the combustion process of the engine. It is thus important to assure that the harness connector is properly connected to the header such that all the electrical circuits are connected.
Mechanical devices are known which provide a mechanical advantage to expedite connection of the multiple electrical sockets into the header. Furthermore, these mechanical devices are commonly in the form of a latch. A second separate movable member provides a visual indication that the harness is properly mounted. The visual indicator member can not be mounted or connected if the operating latch is not fully closed.
Attempts have been made to use an electrical indicator to assure that the harness connector is properly connected to the header. These systems"" objective is to have an electrical indicator alarm such as a conveniently positioned light operably connected to the connector. These previous attempts provide for a separate connector being plugged into the connection system. The addition of a second movable member undesirably adds size and complexity to the electrical connection harness system. The extra size is particularly undesirable when the harness system is mounted under an interior instrument panel where space is extremely limited.
What is needed is an electrical position assurance system that adds no separate movable components to the harness connector and adds no size to the present mechanical harness connector and still further allows visual confirmation of a properly mated connection between the harness connector and the header.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a harness connector for an electrical connection box includes a connector housing having an open end having a plurality of pin connections constructed to be releasably installed onto complementary pin connections of a header section of the electrical connection box. A latching device is movable between an engage position and a release position with the header for selectively retaining the connector housing to the header section. An arm lever is operably connected to the latching device. The arm lever correspondingly and pivotably moves between its release and engage positions. The connector housing has two electrical contacts forming a pilot circuit that is operably connected to an indicator circuit.
The arm lever is constructed to electrically connect the two electrical contacts when the arm lever is moved to its lock position to close the pilot circuit and control the indicator circuit. The indicator circuit correspondingly indicates that the arm lever has fully locked the connector housing in its installed position on the header. Commonly, the indicator circuit illuminates an appropriate warning light when the arm is not in the engage position.
The arm lever in one embodiment has a pair of leg sections pivotably mounted onto the connector housing and a bight section extending between the two legs.
The indicator circuit includes wiring in the connector housing that includes a plurality of pin connections between the connector housing and the header. In one embodiment, the indicator circuit includes a microprocessor that activates an instrument panel indicator when the arm lever is not in its engage position. The indicator circuit includes a visual indicator that indicates when the arm lever is not in its engage position.
The arm lever preferably has at least one leg section pivotably mounted to the connector housing and a transverse section at a distal end of at least one leg section. The transverse section has an electrically conductive strip extending a substantial length of the transverse section.
The conductive strip contacts both electrical contacts when the arm lever is in the locked position. Preferably this closes a pilot circuit which controls the indicator circuit. The conductive strip preferably has prongs that extend through openings in a top surface of the connector housing when the arm lever is in its engage position. The contacts are desirably recessed below the top surface of the connector housing and aligned with openings to contact the prongs when the prongs extend through the openings.
The connector housing preferably has a resilient lock button that resiliently flexes to allow the arm lever move to the engage position and locks the arm lever in place until the lock button is manually operated and moved to release the arm lever from the engage position.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an electrical box and harness connector assembly includes a connector housing having an open end. The open end has a plurality of pin connections. A header section of the electrical box has complementary pin connections that connect to the pin connections of the connector housing. The latching device is mounted on one of the connector housing and electrical box and movable between an engage position and a release position for selectively retaining the connector housing to the header. The arm lever is pivotably mounted onto one of the electrical box and connector housing and movable between a releasing and a lock position and operably connected to the latching device for moving the latching device between its engage and release positions.